What do you know about diatomaceous earth (DE)? Maybe you’ve heard of it because it’s in your insecticide or you use it as a filter for your pool. This may sound crazy but. . . did you know you can eat it too?

Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of diatoms, which is a single-celled aquatic algae. Much of DE is composed of silica. Because of their ability to grow with the help of water and sunlight, DE can be found in both salt and fresh water.

The qualities that make this mineral useful include insulating properties, absorptive capacity, low density, high surface area, high porosity, and more. With these properties, the mineral is capable of numerous uses. Here is a quick list of what DE is used for:

• Deodorant
• Bed bugs
• Strengthens nail, teeth, and bones
• Insecticide
• Odor neutralizer
• Stain remover
• Detox
• Toothpaste
• Facial scrub
• Collagen production

Most importantly, DE is beneficial to our environment as well. This mineral is truly amazing. It has a whole day dedicated to honoring its existence. Why? Diatoms help us BREATHE! Diatoms remove carbon dioxide and produce oxygen as they photosynthesize. The amount of carbon dioxide these organisms remove from our atmosphere is compared to the amount removed by all the rainforests combined. Our oxygen in the atmosphere is derived from our oceans, which is mostly created by diatoms. It is estimated that diatoms are responsible for about 60% of the oxygen in our atmosphere. That’s incredible!

If you’re interested, do some research regarding how food-grade DE might be beneficial for you.